Gun Bros 2

T.O.O.L. doesn't stand a chance.

Gun Bros 2 is all about twin-stick shooting, and lots of it. Enemies with names like Pus Titan, Broliminator and The Maullusk crowd the screen, along with a T.O.O.L. army of minions, and you shred these creeps with a variety of high-powered weapons, or maybe you jump into a Honey Badger tank and unleash red laser death upon swarms of baddies. Regardless of how you approach this free-to-play sequel, you're bound to enjoy the blood-splattering, explosions and most importantly, co-op with a friend, at least until the grim reality sets in that the best possible gear comes at a price.

Much like the original Gun Bros, the temptation to make an in-app purchase never vanishes completely, not with such a devastating arsenal a few button presses away (and perhaps your wallet within reach). Eventually, the horde becomes too overwhelming, particularly if you play single-player alongside a computer-controlled teammate with a nasty habit of dying at the worst possible moments.

To be fair, we don't mean to sell the game short. In fact, you can experience much of what Gun Bros 2 has to offer through good old-fashioned grinding. Granted, this will involve playing previously completed boards, but considering the items at stake and medals to obtain, there's an incentive to revisiting familiar territory.

Not only that, but Glu got a lot right with this title, starting with full 3D environments that take place in a refinery filled with toxic goop and a planet surface dotted with purple crystals, to name a couple; look for yellow ramps that launch the character to safe areas.

Eye candy aside, this is one heck of a shooter. The designers at Glu had a goal of putting guns on top of guns, and the team definitely succeeded. Yes, you'll unlock a plethora of deadly toys like the spread shot Threedom Fighter, a Mauler rocket launcher and laser-spewing Li'l Sparky (you can upgrade them all), but then you have MODS, bonus weapons that pack a sizable punch, from a device that unleashes a black hole that damages nearby foes to a spider bot that explodes upon impact; MODS work on a cool down timer, prohibiting you from using them in rapid succession. There's also a bunch of items to slip into, from different helms to armor and even pants, all designed to boost your hero's stats, because as you quickly learn, Gun Bros 2 is a constant race to upgrade. It's all about having that one important weapon to snag a gold star.

The in-game action, meanwhile, is frantic and nonstop if you opt for the new Endless Mode. T.O.O.L. has no shortage of creeps, and the game's performance stays consistent for the most part, an impressive feat, considering all the special effects and super-sized monsters lumbering about. It's simply a matter of whether you choose to remain on foot or pulverize the army in that aforementioned Honey Badger, a vehicle that comes in handy when the odds aren't in your favor, which is most of the time.

With that in mind, Gun Bros 2 is best played with a buddy, and Glu did a great job not only making co-op a seamless experience through Gamecenter, but also adding cross-platform functionality for iOS and Mac users. Expect minor connection issues, but finding someone to play with should be no trouble at all.

Where the game falters (and it's minor, really) is the repetition that comes from grinding and the somewhat lengthy load times between missions. But if you cut your virtual teeth on the likes of Smash TV and Total Carnage, Gun Bros 2 should find its way onto your favorite device, maybe longer than expected, considering Glu plans to add more MODS and vehicles in future updates.